Friday, June 13, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Southern Baptist Convention messengers meeting in Indianapolis June 10-11 elected a new president, launched a bold initiative to share the Gospel with every person in North America by 2020, accepted a detailed report from the Executive Committee on the subject of child sexual abuse prevention and adopted a much-discussed resolution on regenerate church membership.

Photo by Bob Carey

Photo by Bob Carey

Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., was elected president on the first ballot at the annual meeting by receiving 52.94 percent of the vote in a crowded field of six candidates. Many of the approximately 7,200 registered messengers no doubt expected to witness the convention's first presidential runoff since 1982, but Hunt avoided that to become what is believed to be the denomination's first Native American president. Hunt is a Lumbee Indian, a North Carolina-based tribe.

Photo by Baptist Press Staff

Photo by Baptist Press Staff

Hunt long has been known among Southern Baptists for his passion for evangelism, discipleship and missions, and those themes dominated his post-election press conference and a brief address to messengers. His election came on the heels of LifeWay's Annual Church Profile report showing that Southern Baptists in 2007 baptized the fewest number of people in two decades. Read More

DES MOINES, Iowa (BP)--An official with the National Weather Service said residents of Iowa are experiencing "a historic hydrological event" of unprecedented river levels, with the city of Cedar Rapids underwater after a nearby waterway exceeded its capacity. Read More

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Heavy rains and flooding helped cause a dip in registration at this year's Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, according to registration secretary Jim Wells. This year's unofficial messenger count was 7,277, down from 8,630 at the 2007 meeting ... Read More

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Gary Chapman, author of "The Five Love Languages," addressed a sell-out crowd of 1,500 at the 53rd annual Ministers' Wives' Luncheon June 10 during the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting ... Read More

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Joy Cullen, a pastor's wife, Sunday School teacher, adjunct professor and former International Mission Board missionary in Asia, was honored with the 2008 Willie Turner Dawson Award during the Ministers' Wives' Luncheon June 10 at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis.

She is the wife of Bob Cullen, pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church in Glenn Heights, Texas, where she teaches a Sunday School class for "senior saints" and sings in the choir... Read More

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Jesus died so believers could have abundant life regardless of their circumstances, Donna Gaines of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., said during the Pastors' Wives Session of the SBC Pastors' Conference June 9 in Indianapolis.

Before an audience of about 600 women, Gaines pointed to Genesis 2 for a picture of "life as it was meant to be."

The session's worship was led by Kim and Suzanne Noblitt of First Baptist Church in Springdale, Ark. The women participa... Read More

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--Eugene Florence may be 104, but he is anything but set in his ways.

His June 9-11 visit to Indianapolis marked his first trip to the Southern Baptist Convention and his longest flight on an airplane.

Florence continues to model hard work and endurance as he experiences new things. Rarely has there been a time when he did not hold two full-time jobs in addition to juggling family responsibilities, odd jobs when they became available and ministering whenever God p... Read More

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